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A Hollywood Icon Becomes Overexposed

The Hollywood sign is a global icon and magnet for travelers to L.A., who seem unwilling to admire it from afar. For the residents of the neighborhoods underneath the historic sign, the hordes of tourists bring safety and quality of life concerns.

"Those who live in the upscale hillside homes of Beachwood Canyon and Hollywoodland have long grumbled about tourists making the pilgrimage up the hill, hoping for that perfect shot [of the Hollywood sign]. But in recent years, they say, the flow of visitors has grown intolerable," reports Bob Pool.

Curving hillside roads and hiking trails are besieged by tourists and tour buses, raising safety and quality of life concerns. The City of Los Angeles has tried several tactics to staunch the flow of buses and tourists into residential enclaves, apparently to no avail. The inconveniences have reached a "tipping point", writes Pool.

"We don't condemn tourism. We appreciate the tourism industry. We enjoy this beautiful part of the city and feel that everybody should," said Alex Chavez, president of the Hollywoodland Homeowners Assn. "But it's a safety issue that we're trying to solve."